You may remember www.finsandfluke.org anti captivity campaign last summer that ran on a Niagara Falls Ontario Transit Bus. While it was supposed to run most of the summer it was removed after only after a few short weeks. Karl Dren, City Director of Transportation Services, deemed the ad “political advertising”. The press received on it brought Marineland Canada back into the spotlight. After it was suggested in the Niagara Falls Review, Karl Dren, stated there was no pressure from Marineland to remove it.

A year later we have found a company in San Diego that will support our anti captivity message. We once again ask for the support of our donors in order to educate people on captivity. Please consider donating today!

Please help us reach our fundraising goal of $1000. We intend to use the money towards our ad campaign on pedicabs. These cabs travel near and around SeaWorld San Diego – educating the public about the horrors of captivity.

Alex Lewis-Dorer is a 27 year old activist. Having watched The Cove during its initial release and learning about the capture practices and the dangers of captivity, she felt compelled to stand up and voice her concerns to others. Since then she has dedicated her time and energy to working towards educating others about ocean conversation. In 2012 Alex joined forces with Wendy Brunot to have a lone killer whale named Shouka, moved to an alternate marine park to be with other orcas. Following the news of a planned Beluga Whale import, Alex hosted a protest in Atlanta In July 2012 together with Free the Atlanta 11 and GARP which attracted significant attention to the issues behind such an initiative. Alex has also played a large part in being a strong voice against Marineland, Canada, holding a demo at the facility in May 2014 in honor of Kiska, Canada’s last captive whale. She has dedicated much of her time to bringing attention to Marineland’s suffering animals. She also voices her concerns over many other captive marine faculties and lends her hand on campaigns regarding this issue. Alex’s love is not limited to cetaceans – she sees the beauty in all marine life. She is excited to be part of the movement that will end captivity for all marine mammals. Alex is also a proud team member for Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project.

Alex Lewis-Dorer is a 27 year old activist. Having watched The Cove during its initial release and learning about the capture practices and the dangers of captivity, she felt compelled to stand up and voice her concerns to others. Since then she has dedicated her time and energy to working towards educating others about ocean conversation. In 2012 Alex joined forces with Wendy Brunot to have a lone killer whale named Shouka, moved to an alternate marine park to be with other orcas. Following the news of a planned Beluga Whale import, Alex hosted a protest in Atlanta In July 2012 together with Free the Atlanta 11 and GARP which attracted significant attention to the issues behind such an initiative. Alex has also played a large part in being a strong voice against Marineland, Canada, holding a demo at the facility in May 2014 in honor of Kiska, Canada’s last captive whale. She has dedicated much of her time to bringing attention to Marineland’s suffering animals. She also voices her concerns over many other captive marine faculties and lends her hand on campaigns regarding this issue. Alex’s love is not limited to cetaceans – she sees the beauty in all marine life. She is excited to be part of the movement that will end captivity for all marine mammals. Alex is also a proud team member for Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project.

Over 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered in water, but the oceans that inspired the name “Blue Planet” are under serious threat today.

What is Blue Trash?

Blue Trash is a term used to describe marine pollutants and contaminants with man-made origins, such as plastic, paper, metals, crude oil and by-products, etc. This debris flows into the ocean through streams, rivers and other waterways, as well as land runoff, overboard dumping, etc.

How Does It Affect Marine and Human Life?

Marine trash is a killer. Small debris is mistaken for food by fish, turtles, birds and marine mammals, blocking their digestive systems or choking them. They also get strangled or trapped by larger items floating in the water, such as six-pack drink holders or old nets.

Plastic waste accounts for over two-thirds of all manufactured material found in oceans. It decomposes at an extremely slow rate, but disintegrates into tiny particles that are swallowed by fish, birds and marine animals.

Hundreds of marine species are already at risk, and we might be next. Chemicals in plastic and crude oil products have been linked to birth disorders, cancers and weakened immune systems in humans and animals alike. When we eat seafood or swim in contaminated water, we’re ingesting these toxins as well.

8 Ways to Make Blue Recycling Part of Your Life

Blue recycling can minimize our impact on the oceans, and here are 8 tips to follow:

Reuse Plastic Items – Plastic is everywhere, so reuse whatever you can. Use takeout containers as food storage at home and carry them for leftovers while dining out. Avoid buying bottled water, and refill bottles you already have.

Recycle Your Trash – Almost 90% of plastic packaging never makes it to the recycling bin! Check the labels on bottles, jars and containers. Plastics marked PET or #1 are recyclable, but #2 and #5 may also be accepted.

Buy Biodegradable – Instead of disposable cutlery and shopping bags, choose eco-friendly products. Shop around for biodegradable plastic products, which look and feel like plastic but are made with organic materials.

Support Bottle Bills – Also known as container deposit laws, these encourage recycling among consumers, retailers and distributors. A deposit is paid while buying beverages and refunded when containers are returned.

Clean Your Home – We’re talking about pollutants here, especially toxic cleaning products and chemical-based fertilizers or pesticides. Use organic solutions in your kitchen, bathroom, yard and garden. The oceans will thank you for it!

Spread the Word – Most people don’t litter intentionally, but may not realize the damage it causes. Discuss it with them. If you notice litter, especially near beaches, pick it up and drop it into the appropriate bin.

Join Cleanup Drives – If you live near the ocean, stay updated with shoreline cleanup drives and join in as often as you can. Also, consider organizing your own drive with family and friends, to de-litter a local beach or seaside paths.

Go Green – Every step toward reducing your carbon footprint helps with Blue Recycling too. For instance, crude oil spills can be minimized if more people use energy-efficient lighting and rely on renewable energy sources!

_____________________________________________________________________

Author Bio

Erich Lawson is passionate about saving environment by effective recycling. He has written a wide array of articles on how modern recycling equipments can be used by industries to reduce monthly garbage bills and increase recycling revenue. You can learn more about environment savings techniques by visiting Northern California Compactors, Inc blog.

Alex Lewis-Dorer is a 27 year old activist. Having watched The Cove during its initial release and learning about the capture practices and the dangers of captivity, she felt compelled to stand up and voice her concerns to others. Since then she has dedicated her time and energy to working towards educating others about ocean conversation. In 2012 Alex joined forces with Wendy Brunot to have a lone killer whale named Shouka, moved to an alternate marine park to be with other orcas. Following the news of a planned Beluga Whale import, Alex hosted a protest in Atlanta In July 2012 together with Free the Atlanta 11 and GARP which attracted significant attention to the issues behind such an initiative. Alex has also played a large part in being a strong voice against Marineland, Canada, holding a demo at the facility in May 2014 in honor of Kiska, Canada’s last captive whale. She has dedicated much of her time to bringing attention to Marineland’s suffering animals. She also voices her concerns over many other captive marine faculties and lends her hand on campaigns regarding this issue. Alex’s love is not limited to cetaceans – she sees the beauty in all marine life. She is excited to be part of the movement that will end captivity for all marine mammals. Alex is also a proud team member for Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project.

Malaysia is well known for being one of the most biologically diverse countries on earth, ranking 12th in the world according to the National Biodiversity Index. It has more reef fish diversity than anywhere else on the planet, containing 37% of known coral reef fish species,

Malaysian waters form part of the Coral Triangle, a 6 million km2 marine region that houses over 500 species of reef-building corals. This unique ecosystem holds tremendous importance to the world’s marine biodiversity, with more coral, fish, and critters than anywhere else on earth. It is also home to some 67 shark species, demonstrating just how significant this region is to the world’s marine ecosystems.

Threats Facing the Coral Triangle

Shark Market in Malaysia: Lawrence Belleni

While Malaysian waters, and the rest of the Coral Triangle, are critical to marine life, the area faces increasing threats from overfishing, community disruption, tourism, pollution, and climate change. Overfishing and shark finning are a big part of the problem. Sharks are particularly vulnerable to the situation due to the high demand for shark fins and certain biological characteristics including having few young, maturing late and having long life spans.

They play a vital role in the ecosystem, yet several shark species are facing a decline due to unregulated fishing. Some of the most commonly taken shark species in Malaysia, according to reports by SEAFDEC, include the Spadenose Shark, Brownbanded Bamboo Shark, Spottail Shark and Scalloped Hammerhead. They are typically taken by trawl and gillnet fisheries, as well as purse seine, longline, and others.

While Malaysian fishers do not officially practice shark finning, the evidence would suggest otherwise. Shark fins are still traded today since consuming sharks, or their fins are not considered illegal. The country has been a longtime importer of shark products and you regularly see sharks sold in local markets. So, not only are they contributing to the decline of local shark populations, but also of those further afield.

Just this year several images surfaced online, demonstrating clear evidence of shark fishing in Malaysia, including those that appeared on social media and those taken by Swedish divers. The shocking pictures showcasing carcasses and bloody waters in one of the world’s most famous diving spots will not do anything to help local tourism, on which much of the population depends on income.

The heartbreaking images clearly show the cruel practice taking place and something must be done to raise awareness of the issue and put pressure on the government to make the necessary changes to help conserve the shark populations in these waters.

Massive Shark Finning: Rikke F. Johannessen

According to WWF-Malaysia, the real problem is that Malaysians don’t seem to care that much about sharks. Their relationship with them is mostly gastronomical or recreational, so many are more concerned about eating sharks, or at least their fins. Educating the local population will prove necessary to shift perceptions and bring about change.

The Need for Conservation

Conserving Malaysia’s marine biodiversity is of vital importance. It faces a threat from numerous sources and while the country has taken steps to improve the situation, more needs to be done to reduce shark fishing activities. There is a noticeable absence of laws that help to manage, conserve and protect sharks in the country. So long as no laws ban the practice, shark fishing and finning will continue to take place.

Seven species of sharks and rays have recently been classed as endangered and will thus receive better protection, yet not all sharks will enjoy the same levels of protection. With 67 common species often seen in the markets, it’s clear that sharks are continually fished incidentally or in mixed fisheries. Sabah is considering putting in place a blanket ban since it ‘s hard to protect only certain species from fishers who may not be up to speed on the protected species.

Drying Shark Fins: Mohd Halimi Abdullah

Banning this practice is of critical importance, not only for the sake of the sharks but also for the economy that is so dependent on the marine ecological system that currently exists. People need to be aware of how their actions will affect their local community and future generations.

Malaysians should place shark conservation under state protection with a focus on expanding tourism around shark habitats since the Federal Government is currently making no attempt to improve the situation. Doing so will help to tackle the issue, conserving the environment without putting the local’s livelihood at risk.

About the Author:

Tommy Birn is a 37 year old dreamer who still thinks that words and good actions can change the world. He was born in Serbia, currently stuck somewhere in Asia, where he tries to explain how killing sharks just because of few spoons of soup is not something we should be proud of. He is also a father of two beautiful angels, passionate scuba diver and traveler.

Alex Lewis-Dorer is a 27 year old activist. Having watched The Cove during its initial release and learning about the capture practices and the dangers of captivity, she felt compelled to stand up and voice her concerns to others. Since then she has dedicated her time and energy to working towards educating others about ocean conversation. In 2012 Alex joined forces with Wendy Brunot to have a lone killer whale named Shouka, moved to an alternate marine park to be with other orcas. Following the news of a planned Beluga Whale import, Alex hosted a protest in Atlanta In July 2012 together with Free the Atlanta 11 and GARP which attracted significant attention to the issues behind such an initiative. Alex has also played a large part in being a strong voice against Marineland, Canada, holding a demo at the facility in May 2014 in honor of Kiska, Canada’s last captive whale. She has dedicated much of her time to bringing attention to Marineland’s suffering animals. She also voices her concerns over many other captive marine faculties and lends her hand on campaigns regarding this issue. Alex’s love is not limited to cetaceans – she sees the beauty in all marine life. She is excited to be part of the movement that will end captivity for all marine mammals. Alex is also a proud team member for Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project.

We want to include you in our next project! We are looking for video submissions from people all over the world who are fighting for cleaner oceans and cetacean freedom. We are going to be creating a sharable “viral” video that will educate the general public about the state of our waterways and oceans. We encourage you to research the topic you are passionate about and provide information that will help raise awareness.

Express clearly what you are trying to stop. For example, “My name is Jane, I live in New York and I want to stop shark finning now! Millions of sharks are killed senselessly just for their fins, thrown back into the ocean still alive. Entire shark populations are dwindling because they are not able to recuperate their numbers”

Film your video in a quiet space with good lighting. Speak clearly and proudly so that we are able to add closed captioning on YouTube.

Please submit your videos to our email info@finsandfluke.org and be sure to title your email “Blue living video”. We will need you to include in the body of your email that you are giving us permission to use your video in our project. Submissions are due by August 31st at midnight pacific time. We look forward to reviewing your submissions and will include as many as possible!

Alex Lewis-Dorer is a 27 year old activist. Having watched The Cove during its initial release and learning about the capture practices and the dangers of captivity, she felt compelled to stand up and voice her concerns to others. Since then she has dedicated her time and energy to working towards educating others about ocean conversation. In 2012 Alex joined forces with Wendy Brunot to have a lone killer whale named Shouka, moved to an alternate marine park to be with other orcas. Following the news of a planned Beluga Whale import, Alex hosted a protest in Atlanta In July 2012 together with Free the Atlanta 11 and GARP which attracted significant attention to the issues behind such an initiative. Alex has also played a large part in being a strong voice against Marineland, Canada, holding a demo at the facility in May 2014 in honor of Kiska, Canada’s last captive whale. She has dedicated much of her time to bringing attention to Marineland’s suffering animals. She also voices her concerns over many other captive marine faculties and lends her hand on campaigns regarding this issue. Alex’s love is not limited to cetaceans – she sees the beauty in all marine life. She is excited to be part of the movement that will end captivity for all marine mammals. Alex is also a proud team member for Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project.

Our planet’s surface is more than 70% water, with almost all of it forming our oceans. The same oceans that have been source of mystery and challenges since the dawn of humanity. We have looked over these waters, onto the horizon, always wondering what lies beyond. Maybe the edge of the world? With the Columbus and the age of discovery we bravely set out to find that, instead of the world’s end, numerous new and exotic countries await!

While we have managed to conquer the ocean surface in this modern era, with thousands of ships that skim over it with ease that our ancestors could only dream of, the dark deeps of our World Ocean are almost as unexplored as they ever were.

Think about it: We have explored a smaller part of our ocean floor than the surface of Moon and Mars!

Exploring ocean depths poses numerous obstacles that we find extremely hard to overcome. One of the most important is the crushing pressure that is present and rises rapidly the deeper you go, a woe of many an early submarine. Nevertheless, we pushed on, always trying to break records and do amazing feats, diving deeper and longer with each passing year. Current records for most of the diving categories are, frankly, mindblowing and awe-inspiring. I mean, human body wasn’t built to do that, how in the world do these people manage to pull it off?

In this spirit of discovery and always pushing the limits, here’s an infographic by The Daily Research with some cool and fun information on our diving achievements:

Alex Lewis-Dorer is a 27 year old activist. Having watched The Cove during its initial release and learning about the capture practices and the dangers of captivity, she felt compelled to stand up and voice her concerns to others. Since then she has dedicated her time and energy to working towards educating others about ocean conversation. In 2012 Alex joined forces with Wendy Brunot to have a lone killer whale named Shouka, moved to an alternate marine park to be with other orcas. Following the news of a planned Beluga Whale import, Alex hosted a protest in Atlanta In July 2012 together with Free the Atlanta 11 and GARP which attracted significant attention to the issues behind such an initiative. Alex has also played a large part in being a strong voice against Marineland, Canada, holding a demo at the facility in May 2014 in honor of Kiska, Canada’s last captive whale. She has dedicated much of her time to bringing attention to Marineland’s suffering animals. She also voices her concerns over many other captive marine faculties and lends her hand on campaigns regarding this issue. Alex’s love is not limited to cetaceans – she sees the beauty in all marine life. She is excited to be part of the movement that will end captivity for all marine mammals. Alex is also a proud team member for Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project.

The oceans are mankind’s lifeline, they are the lifeblood of earths ecosystem’s and without them, we would not be here today. The world’s ‘Global Ocean’ covers over 71% of the planet’s surface. It is so grand that it has been divided into 5 individual oceans, all of which are connected.

The ocean is the most mysterious, expansive and diverse ecosystem on the planet and to our detriment; the oceans and its inhabitants are being threatened by pollution, not only by natural causes, but also from humans. More and more areas within the oceans are becoming ‘dead zones’ and the loss of marine life is becoming extensive. Did you know that there are over 405 ‘dead zones’ throughout the oceans, where nitrification has exhausted the amount of oxygen in the water, rendering it inhospitable? If we don’t act now, then this can severely impact life, on earth, as we know it.

Throughout history, the thought was, that the ocean is so large, that dumping huge amount of rubbish, would not effect us or the oceans, however little did they know how it would affect us in modern times. Even to this day, it is recorded that humans dump approximately 8 million tons of plastic into the ocean every year. Over the past few decades, the speed of which the oceans are suffering has accelerated, this is due to oil spills, plastic and toxic waste being pumped into the oceans at an alarming rate.

Plastic is the biggest killer of marine life, in 2010, over 215 million metric tons of plastic had found its way into the oceans. Not only is plastic harmful for the environment, it is also mistaken for food by marine wildlife. It takes on average 400 years for plastics to degrade in the ocean.

The largest source of pollution found in the ocean, comes directly from land-based sources. These include, factories, farms, vehicles, sewage tanks, as well as much larger industrial operations. The chemicals produced by these sources include; oil, petrochemicals, asbestos, lead, phosphates, mercury and nitrates all of which can severely impact both marine life as well as our food chain. We as humans consume over 14% of our protein, from fish.

Even though, the dumping of waste takes place hundreds of miles away from land, the ocean has a funny way of spitting it out again. However, this trash ends up on our beaches and coastal areas and has a huge effect on the coral and wildlife that it comes into contact with, on its journey to these places. This build up of pollution on the beach can also affect humans. Coming into contact or mistakenly ingesting the water surrounding this pollution can result in some nasty side effects such as stomach-aches, diarrhoea or even skin rashes. Did you know that there is a floating ‘Garbage Island’ also known as the ‘Pacific Garbage Patch’ or the ‘Pacific Trash Vortex’, which is located in the north Pacific, just off the coast of California? It is the largest oceanic rubbish patch in the world.

Crude oil is the most dangerous and fastest cause of oceanic deterioration. However, only 12% of oil entering our oceans comes from oil spills. 36% of the oil found in our oceans actually comes from land run-off, and it is this, that is causing most damage to oceanic ecosystems. Crude oil can suffocate marine life, cause disorientation and poisoning if ingested. To those creatures that survive, this can cause long-term issues which may result in them never returning to their natural habitats.

Toxic metals also pour into the oceans, from surface run-off. These metals can destroy the biochemistry, reproductive systems and behaviour of marine life. Plastics and plankton can absorb these toxic metals. Unfortunately, smaller sea creatures mistake these toxic plastics for food, or eat their regular diet of plankton. Once they have ingested these plastics or infected plankton, the food chain then continues, meaning that larger fish then consume the smaller creatures, which then ends with those larger fish being eaten by humans and so, pollution directly affects each and every one of us. Mankind has a direct impact on what happens off shore and what could be a tiny mistake can be detrimental to the health and safety of life on earth.

Mercury is one of these toxic metals found in the ocean and for humans, having a prolonged exposure to mercury can cause all sorts of neurological and systemic diseases; these include Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and heart disease.

We have so much to thank the oceans for. The oceans provide over 70% of the oxygen that we breathe as well as over 97% of the world’s water supply. The oceans are also home to some of the most magnificent wildlife and plants in the world. Medical scientists have studied certain marine plants and have found that they have helped to reduce inflammation, pain and have even been known to help combat certain types of cancers, in humans.

Protecting our oceans is essential and learning about them, is the first step. If you would like to learn more about the oceans and the effect that pollution has on its wildlife and us, then take a look at the incredible infographic below…

Alex Lewis-Dorer is a 27 year old activist. Having watched The Cove during its initial release and learning about the capture practices and the dangers of captivity, she felt compelled to stand up and voice her concerns to others. Since then she has dedicated her time and energy to working towards educating others about ocean conversation. In 2012 Alex joined forces with Wendy Brunot to have a lone killer whale named Shouka, moved to an alternate marine park to be with other orcas. Following the news of a planned Beluga Whale import, Alex hosted a protest in Atlanta In July 2012 together with Free the Atlanta 11 and GARP which attracted significant attention to the issues behind such an initiative. Alex has also played a large part in being a strong voice against Marineland, Canada, holding a demo at the facility in May 2014 in honor of Kiska, Canada’s last captive whale. She has dedicated much of her time to bringing attention to Marineland’s suffering animals. She also voices her concerns over many other captive marine faculties and lends her hand on campaigns regarding this issue. Alex’s love is not limited to cetaceans – she sees the beauty in all marine life. She is excited to be part of the movement that will end captivity for all marine mammals. Alex is also a proud team member for Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project.

Many of you may not be familiar with John Stossel, that’s probably because he works for Fox News (sic) and you prefer to get your facts from journalistic news sources.

This coming Sunday, June 14th, Fox is airing a made for TV special called: Green Tyranny, the premise being that animal welfare activists and specifically the film Blackfish, have distorted the truth about Sea world and its practices.

Mr. Stossel says: “I don’t presume to know if it’s moral to keep animals in captivity. But I do know that the activists distort the truth.”

I came across this article written by John Stossel that advertises his upcoming TV special. The same distortion of truths that he vilifies in Blackfish is, ironically, replete throughout his writing.

I can’t decide if John Stossel is:

A. Gullible
B. An owner of deflated Sea World stock.
C. Sensationalizing a controversial topic to gain viewers.
D. All of the above.

Here are a few examples:

Stossel: “I asked SeaWorld why they separate whales from their mothers.” “We haven’t done that in 35 years,” says Kelly Flaherty Clark, SeaWorld head trainer. “We have no plans to do it again, and the film (Blackfish) implies that we’re doing it yesterday.”

“We’ve never moved a calf from a mom. … A calf is an animal young enough who is still dependent on the mom, still nursing with the mom, and still requires the mom’s leadership … We think they’re probably dependent [at] 4 to 5 years. After that, they start to gain their independence.”

Given that males remain with their mothers for life; a fact that Sea World doesn’t acknowledge on their website; though, they do admit that the calves are born in the water , There are six instances in the list below that clearly contradict Tompkins statement.

Here are some of the early separations of children from their mothers at Sea World, within the last 25 years, not Flaherty Clarks: “We haven’t done that in 35 years.”

What Blackfish says is that it’s miserable to see killer whales with a dorsal fin in such an unnatural, pathetic looking state. It’s a visible statement on the physical impact that captivity has on their body.

While Stossel is correct when he writes that Dr. Visser knows of killer whales in the wild with drooped dorsal fins, known as dorsal collapse, Dr. Ingrid Visser’s research was focused on a specific population of killer whales in the waters off New Zealand. This population group that showed an unusually high percentage (~23%) of damaged/collapsed dorsal fins. In all other populations that have been studied, the percentage of killer whales with dorsal collapse ranges from: .57% observed in Norway, to 4.7% for the Southern Resident killer whales, though the total rate of collapse among the killer whales observed in British Columbia, Canada averages at 1%.

At Sea World, 100% of their males have dorsal collapse.

But this fact doesn’t serve Stossel’s purpose and he prefers to promote Sea Worlds half-truths and distortions of fact.

Another glaring distortion from Stossel is: “Finally, Blackfish claims that captive whales die young. But Dold (SW Vet. Chris Dold) points out, “We have a 50-year-old whale living at SeaWorld… Our whales’ life parameters are the same as whales in the wild. Government research confirms this.”

Sea Worlds web site describes killer whale longevity as being: “When factored in at birth, the average life expectancy of southern and northern resident killer whales is about 29 years for females and 17 years for males.”

A quick reference to the NOAA Fisheries “government” web site and page on killer whale lifespans reads:

Lifespan: Up to 50-100 years:

– males typically live for about 30 years, but can live as long as 50-60 years.
– females typically live about 50 years, but can live as long as 100 years.

“J2”,also known as “Granny”, is a well-known female member of J pod; of the Southern Resident killer whales in the Pacific Northwest, , Granny is estimated to be 104 years of age. More than double what Sea Worlds claim as the average lifespan of a female of the southern resident killer whales”.

It’s obvious that John Stossel had no intention of making an objective verification of the facts as presented by Sea World. From the very start his intent was to make a controversial television presentation that took an opposite opinion from what is now mainstream thinking; that killer whales should not be in captivity.

You may be curious to view Stossel’s “Green Tyranny” on Sunday night but if I can offer some advice… don’t bother.

All you will be seeing is a TV personality, desperate for ratings and eagerly lip-syncing whatever Sea World hucksters as its truth.

So, unless you have a strong stomach and the firm self-control not to throw something at your TV…

There’s been some well deserved cheers following the announcement that the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA) have voted to comply with a demand from the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) that Japanese facilities stop buying dolphins from drive hunts, or face expulsion.

While I happily join in the chorus, my good cheer is tempered by the knowledge that JAZA member facilities begrudgingly ceded to WAZA’s demands, and the fishers of Taiji have no intention of giving up on the Japanese industry of providing live dolphins to whoever will buy.

JAZA chairman, Kazutoshi Arai, was quoted as saying: “We do not think it is cruel to take wild dolphins…but as we have reached this kind of conclusion in relation to WAZA, we need to steer (our policy) toward breeding,”

An abundance of markets still exist for the dolphins captured in Taiji. Australia for Dolphins, states that approximately 40% of the dolphins caught for the live dolphin market are slated for Japanese facilities, leaving a majority going to overseas zoos and aquariums.

Dolphins captured in Taiji have been exported to China, Korea, Ukraine, Egypt, Iran, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and the Philippines.

Buyers of wild caught dolphins still exist among the WAZA membership and the executive of the world body have enforcement work to do. WAZA cannot selectively enforce its mandate that requires all 50 member countries and territories to “adhere to policies that prohibit participating in cruel and non-selective methods of taking animals from the wild.”

Australia for Dolphins chief executive Sarah Lucas was quoted in The Guardian as saying that Australia For Dolphins “would continue its legal action against WAZA because other members of the organization continue to buy dolphins from Taiji and other inhumane hunts.”

Captive breeding takes place in a small number of Japanese zoos and aquariums, representing an estimated 12 to 13 percent of the captive dolphin population in Japan. Many of the facilities lack separate breeding pools to accommodate nursing females; a clear indication that those facilities are substandard and inappropriate for the ongoing care of dolphins.

The Taiji cultural tradition of dolphin ranching?

In an article from the New Straits Times (Reuters, 21 May, 2015), Taiji mayor Kazutaka Sangen told reporters that consideration was being given to set up a dolphin breeding centre in a partitioned area of the notorious cove. Sangen was quoted as saying: “We plan to protect our fishermen, who have authority from both the nation and the local government.” “We believe it can become the world’s main provider. I believe in 10 years our town will have changed its role in all this.”

Sangen added. “My justification is that the government recognizes the catches and so does the prefecture, there’s absolutely nothing wrong.”

The majority of the Japanese people, and most assuredly- their protectionist government, do not believe that dolphins and other cetaceans are suffering in captivity and there is little chance that they will suddenly develop an empathy for the dolphins and the meagre existence that captivity affords them.

We can’t shame the Japanese people into changing how they feel about dolphins and whales. They’ll resent the insult and it will push them away. We can pressure their government but… historically, when pushed, they look for a lessor path of resistance to do whatever they want.

We need to patiently and politely help the the citizenry of Japan to understand the depth of emotion that dolphins possess, that they enjoy their freedom and can only truly thrive as they should, in their natural home.

I suspect that as time goes on and other nations acknowledge the injustice that is being done and change their laws to reflect the recognition that as intelligent and emotional beings, dolphins and whales deserve to live as they should; the people of those nations who’ve lagged behind in that understanding… will shame themselves.

During my time as an advocate I have written many petitions – it seems to be the easiest way to spark change. I have learned a few tips and tricks to writing the perfect petition once you have pinpointed your subject.

Step 1: Check to make sure another petition with the same subject doesn’t already exist. I say this simply because there are so many issues we are fighting daily, it’s key to make sure we aren’t wasting time signing the same thing twice. I also think it’s fair to allow someone who has worked hard to create an already existing petition the right to that subject. If you are adamant about writing a petition on the same cause, please be mindful of others work and do not plagiarize.

Step 2: Make sure you know the recipients of your petition! It’s important to know “who” your petition is going to. Many petition sites allow you to enter an email address – so be sure to do some digging and have the correct contact information for that person or company.

Step 3: Gather credible up-to-date information. The key to a successful petition is having current information and research available to your signers. People like to make sure they are signing something they agree with, so providing as much material as possible will only work in your favor. Remember to cite sources with links and quotes.

Step 4: Make sure your petition letter is different from your lead-in. A common mistake I see in many petitions usually includes the writer forgetting to include a letter. I also see the writer copy and paste their “about this petition” information too. This is certainly not the way to reach your recipient. Keep in mind that many petition sites will actually send a copy of your letter to the email address you provided every single time someone signs the petition.

Here is a letter portion of one of petitions at change.org

Step 5: Make sure your letter is polite, to the point and full of credible data. This is a very important step and you really want to make sure that your letter is hitting the points you feel are necessary. Imagine yourself reading the letter aloud to whoever may be receiving it. Personally, I make sure that my wording is not rude or aggressive so that I’m certain that my recipient will support the issue. Be polite, provide credible information (with sources) and make sure you are sticking to the key points.

Step 6: Provide your petition with an eye-catching video or image. You’ll find when someone shares your petition on social media sites that the image or video is usually the thing that will bring out the most attention. It’s a no-brainer to use an image pertaining to your subject. I try to keep my images and videos of “PG” rating as to not upset young advocates and parents. Also, it’s important to make sure you have permission to use the image or video in your petition, so make sure you are given full permission before publishing your content.

I hope these steps help you to make the best petitions possible. Change is possible if we work together and support one another. If you have further questions regarding this subject please feel free to email me: alewis@finsandfluke.org

Alex Lewis-Dorer is a 27 year old activist. Having watched The Cove during its initial release and learning about the capture practices and the dangers of captivity, she felt compelled to stand up and voice her concerns to others. Since then she has dedicated her time and energy to working towards educating others about ocean conversation. In 2012 Alex joined forces with Wendy Brunot to have a lone killer whale named Shouka, moved to an alternate marine park to be with other orcas. Following the news of a planned Beluga Whale import, Alex hosted a protest in Atlanta In July 2012 together with Free the Atlanta 11 and GARP which attracted significant attention to the issues behind such an initiative. Alex has also played a large part in being a strong voice against Marineland, Canada, holding a demo at the facility in May 2014 in honor of Kiska, Canada’s last captive whale. She has dedicated much of her time to bringing attention to Marineland’s suffering animals. She also voices her concerns over many other captive marine faculties and lends her hand on campaigns regarding this issue. Alex’s love is not limited to cetaceans – she sees the beauty in all marine life. She is excited to be part of the movement that will end captivity for all marine mammals. Alex is also a proud team member for Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project.